Mendip

Mendip's population grew in the 10 years leading up to the latest census. At the same time there were changes in religion, housing tenure and work life.

The population reached nearly 110,000

Between the last two censuses, the population of Mendip increased by 5.2%, from just under 104,000 to 109,000.

The addition of about 5,400 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Mendip was home to, on average, 1.1 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was similar to the average across the South West

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the South West, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Mendip

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Mendip increased by three years, from 40 to 43 years.

This agricultural area had a slightly higher average age than the South West and remained somewhat older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just over 4,100 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just under 4,000.

About 13% of people in Mendip are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South West and Mendip by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in rate of self-employment

Mendip saw the South West's second-largest rise in the proportion of self-employed people.

In 2011, just under one in seven (14%) people aged 16 to 74 in Mendip said they were self-employed, compared with 12% in 2001. The percentage that were employed remained close to 52%.

Across the region, only South Hams saw a greater rise in the proportion of self-employed people (from 15% to 17%).

During this period, Mendip overtook East Devon to become the South West local authority area with the eighth-highest percentage of self-employed people.

The rate of self-employment was higher than across the South West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were self-employed across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

Disability in Mendip

The percentage of Mendip residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 2.6% to 3.4% between the last two censuses.

The percentage who reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities remained close to 7.1%, while the percentage of Mendip residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 90% to 89%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 3.0% in 2001 to 3.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the South West

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Mendip

The number of people in Mendip that described themselves as having no religion increased from just under 17,000 in 2001 to about 30,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 16% to 27% of the local population.

The percentage increased by less than the average across the South West (from 17% to 30%), but at a faster rate than the average across England (from 15% to 25%).

The number of people in Mendip that described themselves as Christian decreased from just over 77,000 in 2001 to just under 68,000 in 2011 (from 75% to 62%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation increased from about 8,400 to about 9,500 (from 8.1% to 8.7%).

Just over 1,200 people (0.7%) said they identified with a religion other than Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism or Sikhism, up from about 690 in 2001 (1.1%).

The population without a religion in Mendip increased by 11 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South West and Mendip by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Mendip that rented privately increased from 10% to 15% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage that lived in social housing remained close to 12%, while the percentage of Mendip households that owned their home decreased from 74% to 70%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 11% in 2001 to 17% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 17%.

Private renting in Mendip increased by 5.3 percentage points

Percentage of households in Mendip, the South West and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Mendip working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 16% to 12% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (3.1%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 2.2% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 13% in 2001 to 10% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13% to 10%.

Long hour working in Mendip decreased by 3.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Mendip, the South West and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Mendip

The percentage of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased in Mendip, but at a slower rate than in Bath and North East Somerset (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Mendip).

In Mendip, the proportion of single people increased from 26% in 2001 to 29% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby Bath and North East Somerset increased from 32% to 37%.

Across the South West, the share of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased from 27% to 31%.

The proportion of married people in Mendip fell from 55% to 51%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased from 11% to 13%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was lower than across the South West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Mendip residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 7.8% to 4.8% between the last two censuses.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (82%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 70% in 2001. The percentage of Mendip residents that described their health as fair decreased from 22% to 13%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 8.5% in 2001 to 5.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Mendip decreased by 3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Mendip, the South West and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Mendip with children decreased from 29% to 27% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over 6 in 10 (64%) households had no children, compared with 62% in 2001. The percentage of households in Mendip with only adult children living with their parents increased from 8.8% to 8.9%.

The proportion of households with children fell here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 28% in 2001 to 27% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 30% to 29%.

The proportion of households with children was higher than across the South West

Percentage of households with at least one dependent child across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

More people living alone

The percentage of households in Mendip, which comprised one person, increased from 28% to 30% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over 1 in 10 (10%) households had an unmarried couple, compared with 8.9% in 2001. The percentage of households in Mendip which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 39% to 36%.

The proportion of one-person households increased here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 29% in 2001 to 30% in 2011). Across England, the percentage remained close to 30%.

The percentage of households with only one person was lower than across the South West

Percentage of households that comprised only one person across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Mendip residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.7% to 2.2% between the last two censuses.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 0.9%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 2.0% in 2001 to 2.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Mendip remained close to 2.2%

Percentage of usual residents in England, South West and Mendip by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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